Search and rescue (SAR) is a search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or danger so as to enhance their safety. A general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by a type of terrain over which the search is conducted. These include mountain rescue, ground search and rescue (including the use of search and rescue dogs), urban search and rescue in cities, and combat search and rescue on a battlefield and air-sea rescue over water.
Autonomous vehicles are often used during search and rescue operations. The autonomous vehicles are pre-programmed to search an area using a specific pattern and strategy. Once complete, the autonomous vehicle(s) return to a base of operation, receive new programming instructions, and either explore the same area using a different pattern and strategy or explore a new area. Reprogramming of the autonomous vehicles can negatively impact safety of individuals involved in the situation because as the vehicle returns to the base to receive new instructions, valuable search time is lost.
What is needed is a way to re-task the autonomous vehicle for the purpose of decreasing handoffs and increasing search and rescue operations, thereby increasing safety of the victims by decreasing downtime events.